The standardization of the PPNB lithic industry from er-Rahib (Wadi el-Yabis, Jordan): a statistical analysis.

The Pre-Pottery Neolithic B is conventionally recognised as a homogeneous cultural aspect during the Neolithic of the Levant, which develops in various phytogeographical ecozones (e.g. Mediterranean, steppe, desertic ecozone, etc.) and in several chrono-cultural phases that spread with different timing first in northern Levant and then in Southern Levant. The PPNB lithic industry is characterised by laminar production and highly standardised technology (e.g., naviform cores, etc.). The statistical approach used in some studies on earlier contexts of the same area (e.g., Epipaleolithic and PPNA) has highlighted the possibility of going into greater detail using techno-typological markers to identify sub-cultural groups within the Levantine cultural koinè. Statistical analyses of technological variability of these markers (e.g., standard deviation) have recently demonstrated the feasibility of applying statistical methodologies to the PPNB phase. The aim of this paper is to propose an analysis of the variability of débitage products, particularly laminar products, using the lithic industry of the PPNB village of Er-Rahib (Wadi el-Yabis, northern Jordan) as a case study. It is proposed here to validate the standardisation of the cognitive processes on which the Er-Rahib chaîne opératoire is based using descriptive statistics (e.g. coefficient of variation, variance, standard deviation etc.) and inferential statistics (normal distribution curve).